“The very evening of our arrival at Naples, Jadin and I ran to the port to enquire if by chance any vessel, whether steam-boat or sailing packet, would leave on the morrow for Sicily.  As it is not the ordinary custom for travellers to go to Naples to remain there a few hours only, let me say a word on the circumstance that compelled us to this hasty departure.

“We had left Paris with the intention of traversing the whole of Italy, including Sicily and Calabria; and, putting this project into scrupulous execution, we had already visited Nice, Genoa, Milan, Florence, and Rome, when, after a sojourn of about three weeks at this last city, I had the honour to meet, at the Marquis de P——­’s, our own charge des affaires, the Count de Ludorf, the Neapolitan ambassador.  As I was to leave in a few days for Naples, the Marquis introduced me to his brother in diplomacy.  M. de Ludorf received me with that cold and vacant smile which pledges to nothing; nevertheless, after this introduction, I thought myself bound to carry to him our passports myself.  M. de Ludorf had the civility to tell me to deposit the passports at his office, and to call there for them the day after the morrow.

“Two days having elapsed, I accordingly presented myself at the office:  I found a clerk there, who, with the utmost politeness, informed me that some difficulties having arisen on the subject of my visa, I had better make an application to the ambassador himself.  I was obliged, therefore, whatever resolution I had made to the contrary, to present myself again to M. de Ludorf.

“I found the ambassador more cold, more measured than before, but reflecting that it would probably be the last time I should have the honour of seeing him, I resigned myself.  He motioned to me to take a chair.  This was some improvement upon the last visit; the last visit he left me standing.

    “‘Monsieur,’ said he, with a certain air of embarrassment, and
    drawing out, one after the other, the folds of his shirt-front,
    ‘I regret to say that you cannot go to Naples.’

    “‘Why so?’ I replied, determined to impose upon our dialogue
    whatever tone I thought fit—­’are the roads so bad?’

    “’No, monsieur; the roads are excellent, but you have the
    misfortune to be on the list of those who cannot enter the
    kingdom of Naples.’

“’However honourable such a distinction may be, monsieur l’ambassadeur,’ said I, suiting my tone to the words, ’it will at present be rather inconvenient, and I trust you will permit me to inquire into the cause of this prohibition.  If it is nothing but one of those slight and vexatious interruptions which one meets with perpetually in Italy, I have some friends about the world who might have influence sufficient to remove it.’

    “’The cause is one of a grave nature, and I doubt if your
    friends, of whatever rank they may be, will have influence to
    remove it.’